Go On a VR Comic Book Adventure with Magnetique for Gear VR

The comic book is free to download for the headset.

Virtual reality (VR) has given content creators a new medium with which to explore, expand and diversify traditional entertainment mediums such as videogames, films and storytelling in general. This week comic books have joined the fray with the release of Oniride’s Magnetique.

Created purely for VR, the launch is the first episode of Magnetique a dark tale of war and revenge which follows the adventures of Nero, a young puppeteer on a trip to the coast of Cyan who as a six year old boy he sees his country, Viola , destroyed by civil war and was forced to abandon it.

Viewers are able to read through the book as they normally would but with each panel completely surrounding and immersing them. The artwork is overlaid onto 360-degree backdrops and as speech bubbles are gazed upon to read they increase in size to become more legible.

Based on an idea by Oniride Head Developer Fabio Corrirossi, with the contribution of artist Emilio Pilliu, Magnetique originally launched as a free smartphone app for iOS and Android before being reworked and expanded for the Samsung Gear VR.

While this might be the first VR comic book to be released for the head-mounted display (HMD), its not the first time VRFocus has reported on VR and the comic book world merging. Daniel Corey, a comic writer behind Moriarty and RedCity is working on a Moriarty: Endgame VR version which he discussed on a panel at San Diego Comic-Con this year.

An introductory trailer can be seen below and as further episodes are released, VRFocus will let you know.

Staff writer at VRFocus who enjoys bringing the latest news to our keen readers all over the world. Obsessive gamer since the days of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, when Peter does step outside he's off to practice Bruce Lee's Jeet Kun Do, or see the latest local live bands.